Positive
by queenbeezer
Summary: She was considerably smaller than rest of the children. She looked like a porcelain doll, dressed in white and her hair in double buns. Han and Leia meet before ANH. 12 BBY Chapter 8 and Epilogue up!
1. Positive

Disclaimer: it all belongs to George.

Han and Leia actually met when he was 17 and she was 7, or so in my mind they did. Takes place 12 BBY

**Positive**

Han tugged at the collar on his stiff Imperial uniform. He was seventeen and fresh out of the Academy. He hated the restriction of the uniform and the rules of serving in the military. Even though he hated being in service to the Empire, it was far better than what he had known as a kid. As a young child his parents had abandoned him and he was picked up by Garris Shrike who had used Han as a punching bag whenever he was drunk. He found salvation two years prior when the Wookiee, Dewlanna, helped him escape the cruel beatings. She had given her life to save the teen, something that Han would never forget.

He had joined the Academy with the hopes of one day being a pilot in the Navy. His entire life all he had wanted to do was to fly. Han's grades were average and when he tested to train as a pilot he missed the mark by only a few points. He would get a second chance in a year but he wanted to fly now. In this time he had been assigned to the medical unit. He was bored there. He drew blood from new recruits and ran the tests. He wanted to get away from Cardia. His chance came when the Emperor had sent out word that he needed medical personnel on a secret mission.

At first it didn't seem like it would be an exciting mission, but at least he wasn't planet bound. They would travel from system to system and run tests on all children around the age of seven of whatever planet they were on. He was testing for something called 'Midichlorians', a term he never heard of during the medical training he received. He was lucky to never run into a child who had these 'Midichlorians' because he soon found why they were searching for these children. One of the senior medical officers had found a boy who tested positive. Han watched in horror as that officer lifted his blaster and shot the boy on the spot. The orders were to kill all children who tested positive. Han knew he could never do that, but he knew that he would have to. It made him sick, the officer told him that he'd get over it.

His life would take a dramatic turn when they entered the system of Alderaan. He watched as the seven year old children were lined up to have their blood tested. He prayed to the Gods that none of these children were positive. Naturally the children were terrified, except for one girl. She was considerably smaller than rest of the children. She looked like a porcelain doll, dressed in white and her hair in double buns. She had large brown eyes that almost seemed too big for her face. She stood in line with her head held high without a hint of fear. When her turn came Han took her tiny hand in his and took her into the examination room.

Han gathered the necessary equipment to draw her blood sample. He explained the procedure to her. She barely winced when the needle pierced her skin and the tube began to fill with blood. He held her arm for a few seconds to make sure the bleeding had stopped before placing a bandage on the site. He mixed the sample and placed it into the machine. The girl seemed to be taking everything in, there was something that different about this girl. She was quiet, most of the other children would try to talk his ears off. A few minutes and passed when the beeping from the machine took his attention off of her. He glanced at the screen ready to see the usual results so he could just send the girl on her way and back to her parents but it was not the results he'd hope to see.

'POSITIVE' the machine read.


	2. Han and Leia officially meet

Disclaimer: Once again belongs to the man who ruined Carrie Fisher's life (or so she says).

'POSITIVE'. It was the last thing that Han wanted to read. He looked at the girl, then back at the screen, then back at the girl again. He hoped that it was a mistake. Maybe he had done something wrong, so he reran the sample only to get the same results. His hand went to his blaster. _'No I can't do it,'_ he said to himself. He couldn't take the life of an innocent child. Maybe he could alter the results. Nobody would know. Before he could do anything the senior officer entered the room.

"Solo, what's taking so long with this one?" The officer questioned. "She's the last one; I'm ready to get out of here." The officer looked at the screen and read the result. "Ah, she's your first huh? Well go on get it over with."

"I-I can't do it, sir." Han looked at the little girl and the first time he saw a hint of fear in her eyes.

"You will do it, and that's an order."

"Please sir, don't make me do it. I can't."

"Fine." The officer then took his blaster out and fired at the girl. "Now clean this mess up and space it before I have you court marshaled."

Han turned to the body of the girl. She was lying on the floor but there was no blood. She also had no blast wound. The officer didn't miss; he saw the bolt go straight for the girl. He knelt down next to the child and placed his fingers on her neck. He felt a strong pulse. She was alive, just unconscious. Upon examining her he saw her tiny hands had large blisters on them. There had to be a reason this child had survived. _Did it have something to do with those 'Midichlorians' they're looking for?_ He thought. _No it couldn't be, the other kids that had positives didn't survive. _Something was different about her. Han vowed he would protect this girl.

Han snuck the unconscious girl to his quarters and filled a body bag with some of his possessions to make it look like a body was in it. He then sent it out to space and watched as the gunners used the bag for target practice. Han quickly returned to his quarters. He had brought some supplies to bandage her hands. He rubbed bacta on her hands then wrapped them. A few hours later she finally began to wake up.

She said something in her native language that he didn't understand.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. Do you speak basic?"

"Oh, sorry, yes I do. I can also speak," she paused and looked at Han for a second like she was sizing him up. "Corellian?" Han nodded. _Cute and smart, _he thought.

"No, no, basic is fine. How'd you know that I'm Corellian?" He asked.

"My daddy's a politician; he has people from all over the galaxy at the palace all the time." She looked at him, and then around the room. "When do I get to go home?"

"Well, that's the problem. We left your system about three hours ago." The little girl bit her bottom lip and she looked like she was doing her best to hold back the tears. "Hey, hey sweetheart, it's ok. I'll drop you off at the next port, and I'll get you passage back to Alderaan. You just have to keep quiet, and hidden during the day."

"Why? Why can't people see me? She asked.

"Well the thing is, you know the blood I took from you," the girl nodded, "it had something in it that the Emperor apparently doesn't like. You're supposed to be dead. I made it look like I spaced your body."

"Is that why the other guy shot me?"

"Yes, how'd you survive anyways?" The little girl shrugged. "Well I guess it doesn't matter, your fine for the most part. You got a name?"

"Leia." She stuck her hand out to him.

Han took her hand in his. "Han."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Han."

"It's just Han, and pleasure's all mine."


	3. The Inspection

Disclaimer: Still not mine.

Thanks for the reviews. Short chapter.

Han was grateful that he didn't have a roommate. It made hiding Leia much easier. As long as she kept quiet during the day while he was on duty, nobody would know that she was in there. At night she slept on the top bunk. During the day she would stay in the room, Han had told her that if it sounded like the door was going to open or if she heard anyone outside, she should hide under the bunks and if it was all clear for her to come out he would tell her. On his breaks he would come by and check on her and bring her food that he would save from his meals. He had even taught her how to play Sabacc. Even though she was bored, Leia followed Han's instructions and things had gone well for the last two weeks.

Han had heard rumors that the higher ups were going around doing random inspections of everyone's quarters. He told Leia that she needed to be extra careful and that it probably would be best to hide under the bed all day. But his inspection had come in the middle of the night and when the inspectors came through the door, Leia was sound asleep in her bunk. _Kid just lay still and be quiet, hopefully they won't look up there, _he thought. Han stood at attention as they looked in his bunk, under it, in his closet, and in the 'fresher. He could feel the sweat forming. The commanding officer looked at Han, "Solo, you look nervous. You hiding something?"

"No, sir," he answered a bit too quickly. The officer looked at Han then at the inspector. The inspector just nodded and they were out the door. Han sat on his bunk and ran his hand through his hair. "Kid, I hope we get to the next port soon. That was close. Too close." He was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake in hiding Leia.

"I just did what you told me to do, lay still and quiet. I also kept saying to myself, don't look up here, please don't look up here." Han looked at Leia with a look of confusion. "What?"

"I didn't say for you to lay still and be quiet, I thought it. Just my luck, I pick up a kid who can somehow absorb blaster shots and read minds." He gave her a crooked grin. "Got any more special powers that you haven't told me about yet?"

"I don't know, didn't even know that I could read minds."

"I guess as long as you don't start levitating things, the mind readings are ok." Han wished for the next port to come soon. "No wonder you keep beating me at Sabacc."


	4. Boredom

Disclaimer: same old same old.

I'm actually having a fun time writing this. Even though I have the whole story outlined, it feels good to fill in the details.

While travelling between systems Han found it quite boring. There really wasn't much for the medical personnel to do except to do research. He took a few medical data disks back to his quarters to study them. While he still dreamed of becoming a pilot someday, he continued his medical study. He sat on the edge of his bunk with data pad in his hand searching the data base for information on midichlorians. He was convinced that whatever they were gave Leia her odd abilities. But no matter where he turned for information, he came to a dead end.

Han had given Leia a data pad to keep her entertained but she didn't seem too interested in it at the moment. She was laying across the top bunk with her head hanging over the edge, her long hair tied into a single braid which would dangle in Han's face whenever he looked up. Han would swat her hair out of his face and go back to his research. The silence between the two was broken by the girl.

"Han?"

"Mmm?"

"Do you have any brothers or sisters?" She asked

"Dunno. None that I know of."

The girl resumed her previous position with her hair dangling in Hans face. She remained quiet for some time before she spoke again. "I wish I had a brother or sister. Mamma and Papa couldn't have kids, so they adopted me when I was a baby. I sometimes wonder if my real parents had other kids." She climbed down to Han's bunk and sat next to him looking over his shoulder at what he was reading. "I miss them," She said sadly.

"Don't worry we'll get you back to them."

"It's not that I'm away from them now. I miss them because they're never home." Han remembered that she had mentioned that her father was a politician, so it meant that he probably was on Coruscant a lot. "Mamma's sick so she's in the hospital a lot, and when Papa's not home they make me stay with the nannies and do my studies." Han felt sorry for the girl. Despite her obvious well to do upbringing, she was not a happy child. Because of his rather harsh upbringing he hated it when he seen unhappy children. Under the rule of the Empire children didn't seem to be allowed to be children. He remembered the brief time before his parents had disappeared, what it was like to be a kid. When he was about ten years old, the Empire came into power and he was forced to grow up. If the Empire had not taken over, on his home planet of Corellia, at his age he'd still be considered a kid. But the Empire had no room for children.

"What's your father's name? Maybe we can look him up on the data pad. So you can at least see him."

"Bail Organa." Han typed the name into the pad and came across the latest news item on Leia's father. He wanted to scroll away from it before Leia read the title, but he could tell by her expression she had already seen it.

_Senator Bail Organa, of Alderaan, Mourns the Loss of His Wife and Daughter._ He didn't need to read any further to know that the senator believed that his little girl was dead and that his wife had died in the time that she was gone. Han put his arm around the little girl as she cried. He gathered her up in his arms and began to rock her like a baby. "I'm so sorry sweetheart," was all that he could say. He glanced at the chrono on the wall and realized it was almost time for him to report back to duty. He hated to have to leave her; he lifted her up to her bunk and tucked her in. "You going to be ok?" The girl nodded."I'll be back in a few hours."

Han's hatred of the Empire that he served was growing even stronger. If it wasn't for the Empire, that little girl wouldn't be left to mourn her mother by herself.


	5. Kashyyyk

Disclaimer: See previous chapters.

Han looked out the view port from the medical bay, in the distance he could see a planet coming into view. He hoped that the planet had a spaceport where he could get Leia passage home. As the planet came closer he recognized it as Kashyyyk, not because he'd been there but from the description of it he'd been told over and over by Dewlanna. He knew that there were a few major cities on the planet, and with technology dealings with his home planet that it shouldn't be much of a problem to get Leia transport. The biggest problem that he would have would to get permission for a short leave and getting Leia off of the ship undetected.

Han was glad to find that they would be on planet for a while. The officers decided that it would be best for the moral of the personnel to have a few days off the ship. At least that is what the officers had told them. Han set off to his quarters to give Leia the good news and to pack for his short time off of the ship. He then went back to the medical bay to resume his duties. He ran the tests on the local children, and thanked the force (where'd that come from) that none of them were positive. When he was finished with the last kid he cleaned his work area he went back to his quarters.

Han gave Leia the all clear and she came out of her hiding place. "So, now we have to figure out how to get you off the ship without being noticed." He sized her up then looked at his duffle bag. "Are you afraid of closed in spaces?"

"No," she replied. She looked over at the duffle bag having sensed what Han had been thinking.

"We'll just put you in there long enough to get away from the ship, and then I'll let you out." Han picked the bag up and she crawled in. "You ok in there?" He heard a muffled yes. "Ok, then. Keep quiet and still and we'll be out of here soon."

Han was able to leave the ship with no problem. He was cleared to leave for the day, so it was plenty of time to get Leia on a transport. When they got out of sight from the ship, Han put the duffle bag down and let her out. They were still several kilometers from the city, so Han had to carry Leia piggy back a lot of the way and they couldn't just follow the path because they could be spotted by someone else from the ship. They were making their way through the thick wooded area when they heard a long and loud growl.

"Han what was that? Are their monsters in the woods?" Han tried to listen to the growl and realized that there was a Wookiee near, and that it was in pain.

"No, sweetheart, sounds like one of the locals." Han switched directions towards the growls and woofs. "Sounds like he's hurt or in trouble." As they got closer to the Wookiee, they began to hear more voices. They were speaking Basic and shouting at the Wookiee. When they came into view they saw several Stormtroopers and some of the officers from his ship surrounding a Wookiee who was caught in a net. "Leia, I need you to stay right here." He motioned to a bush. "Stay hidden and don't come out until I come back, ok?" She nodded.

Han knew that he was going to get thrown out of the navy for what he was going to attempt to do, if he survived, but he didn't care. He owed his life to a Wookiee and it enraged him to see this kind of treatment. He hid in the bushes and aimed for the nearest Stormtrooper. After he took down a few of them the others were scrambling trying to figure out where the shots were coming from. Han kept firing on them until either most of them had run off or were down. Han cautiously came out of his hiding place and made his way over to the Wookiee. "Hey pal, I'm here to help you." He reached down and started to undo the net and the bindings that held the Wookiee down. Han straightened up when he heard something behind him.

"Solo!" He heard his commanding officer's voice. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm releasing this creature; there is no sense in this kind of treatment."

"Solo, I highly recommend that you stay out of this. You're too soft first you couldn't kill a simple child and now you want to go and save worthless creatures." Han was enraged, Wookiees were not worthless, and he owed his life to one. Han felt his fist come in contact with the officer's nose. But Han didn't have the upper hand because another officer had come out and Han felt the butt of a blaster rifle hit his jaw, then on the side of his head. Before blacking out he heard a loud growl and screams.


	6. A Life Debt and A New Scar

Disclaimer: Same as before

Once again, thanks for the positive reviews.

Han awoke with his head hurting worse than he could remember ever before. He hand went to his chin where he felt a good sized gash. _That's going to leave a mark, _he thought. He opened his eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings; he seemed to be in some sort of tree house. He suddenly remembered Leia. He bolted up but was overcome by dizziness. He felt two fuzzy paws pull him back to the bed.

_**Easy there**__, _he heard a voice say in Shyriiwook. Han opened his eyes and saw the Wookiee that he had tried to release from the net, his intense blue eyes looking at him. He tried to get back up but he was held down. Han knew there was no point in fighting the Wookiee.

"Look pal, I gotta get out of here. There's a kid out there, I gotta find her."

_**Your cub is fine. She's in the other room.**_Han sighed in relief. The Wookiee left the room and a few moments came back with Leia in tow.

"Han!" The little girl ran to him and put her arms around him. She began to cry. "I was so scared."

"I'm fine, Leia, just a little sore." He was relieved to see that she was alright. "So what exactly happened?"

"It was scary, they hit you with their blasters and he got free," Leia said pointing towards the Wookiee, "and then he attacked the men hitting you. Then he picked you up and started to take you away, I was scared that I was going to get left so I followed him." She looked at the Wookie. "Next thing I knew he was standing in front of me, I thought he was going to eat me at first, but I could see it in his eyes that he wanted to help."

The Wookiee gave a little chuckle. _**I could smell her. I figured that she must have been with you.**_

Han looked over at the Wookiee. "Well, pal I guess I owe you one. The name's Han Solo, and the kid is Leia Organa." He stuck his hand out to him.

The Wookiee took his hand. _**No, it is I who is in debt to you. If you had not come a long I surely would be dead. I pledge my life to you.**_

Han stood up. "Oh, no, really you don't have to do that! Look I only did what any decent being should have done." He put his hand to his head and stumbled a bit before he gave up and sat back down. _What have I gotten myself into? _He asked himself.

_**It's an insult to Wookiee culture for you to deny my debt.**_Han looked at the Wookiee. He knew that he couldn't deny him the debt, one thing he had learned from Dewlanna was Wookiees took their life debts seriously.

_Just my luck, _Han thought, _I get stuck with a kid with crazy powers and a Wookiee with a life debt. _Defeated, Han looked back at the Wookiee, "Well pal, if you're going to be following me around, I guess I'm going to need to know your name."

_**Chewbacca, but everybody calls me Chewie. **_

"Well, Chewie, you know the kid and I can't stay here on Kashyyyk forever. In fact, I'm betting the Imperials are looking for us as we speak. We'll have to get off planet as soon as possible." Han thought about standing up again but decided against it. "I made a promise to the kid to get her home to her family." Chewie looked at Han and then at Leia with confusion in his eyes.

_**I thought she was your cub. **_Han laughed.

"No, no, no. She's not my kid; I'm not even old enough to be her father." Han then told Chewie how he and Leia had come together.

Chewie patted Han's back. _**You are indeed a brave human.**_

Han then looked down at the little girl at his side. Leia had fallen asleep. Han noticed that it was dark outside and figured that the little girl must have been exhausted. He shifted her to the bed and covered her up. He then stood up, this time without the dizziness; he walked across the room to a mirror and looked at the cut on his chin. _Yep, _he thought, _definitely going to have a scar._

Han and Chewie would stay up through the night keeping an eye out for any Imperials, and working on a plan to make an escape from Kashyyyk undetected.


	7. Passage to Alderaan Via The Outer Rim

Disclaimer: Still George's

Han and Chewie decided that it would be best for them to lay low for a couple of days before finding transport off of Kashyyyk. Han no longer wore his Imperial uniform; instead he wore a white shirt and a black utility vest with a holster and his blaster at his hip. Leia now wore clothes that the local Kashyyyk human population's children wore. They would do their best to blend in and hopefully when they went into the nearest city, they would blend in.

Four days after they arrived on Kashyyyk they made their way to the capital city of Rwookrrorro. When they arrived they made their way to the spaceport to find a pilot that could take them to Alderaan. They were cautious as they moved through the city as it was crawling with Stormtroopers and Imperial officers. They entered a cantina near the spaceport and began seeking out a pilot. They had been there several hours looking for someone who would be going to the Alderaan system, most pilots were either not interested in toting any passengers or would charge too many credits.

When they were about to give up and head back to Chewbacca's tree house and try again the next day a man approached Han. "I hear your looking for passage to the Alderaan system." He was fair skinned and had long black hair and a moustache and goatee. "I can get you there as long as you don't mind taking a trip to the Outer Rim. I have some business there I have to take care of." Han didn't care as long as he got off this planet and it was guaranteed passage to Alderaan.

Han found Chewie and Leia and told them the news. Then they headed to the docking bay. The pilot, who identified himself as Talon Karrde, was there waiting on them and ushered his three passengers on board. Leia was excited to finally be going home.

When they arrived at the Outer Rim planet of Tatooine, the first thing they noticed was the immense heat. "We're going to be here for a few hours so feel free to look around the city." Karrde then handed Han a commlink, "I'll contact you when it's time to go."

Leia was amazed at all the different beings on this planet. Even though her father often invited several different species to their home, there were so many here that she'd never seen before. She was trailing behind Han and Chewie, her legs were no match for the Corellian and the Wookiee's strides. She stopped for a moment to catch her breath and realized that Han and Chewie had disappeared. She started to head in the direction that her companions had gone, when she felt a presence. It was familiar, yet foreign. Curious she decided to go in the direction of the presence.

Han and Chewie were beside themselves. They couldn't believe that they had lost Leia. They frantically searched every area of the city that they had been. They asked the vendors and several people, but nobody had seen the girl.

The presence drew Leia closer. Soon she stood in the middle of a square. Whatever had drawn her here was nearby, but she couldn't pick out what had brought her here. It called her down a nearby street. She knew that she should be looking for Han, but this feeling to find whatever was calling her was strong. She turned down the street.

Han was so intent on finding Leia that he almost didn't notice the comlink going off. Han answered it and Karrde told him that he would be leaving soon. "I hate to make you wait but we lost the kid. Is there any way you can wait a bit?"

"Well, I got to get off soon, I can give you another hour, but after that I've got to leave."

"Fair enough, I'll comm. You incase we don't find her." Han was getting really worried. It looked like they were going to be stuck on his dust ball.

Leia felt that she was closer to the presence than she had been before. She followed the winding road when she came to another square. This time when she looked around she saw a boy on the other side of the square looking at her. They made their way to the middle of the square. They stood opposite each other her brown eyes looking into his blue. Neither child said anything.

"Luke! C'mon boy, we don't have all day!" The boy turned from Leia, smiled at her and joined his uncle.

Across the square an older man, dressed in a brown cloak watched this interaction between the children. He then approached Leia. She straightened up when she felt his presence behind her, but soon relaxed, this man's presence felt oddly familiar, like the boy's had. "Come, Leia. Let's get you back to your friends, they are worried about you."

Han and Chewie were about to give up and call Karrde to tell him to go ahead and leave without them when he saw Leia with an older man. "Han!" The little girl ran to him and put her arms around him.

"Leia, I was so worried about you!" He hugged her. Han then looked at the gentleman who was with her. "Sir, I don't know how to thank you."

"Just keep a better eye on her; you never know when she'll need you to rescue her." The older man gave a knowing smile and a slight bow, and then disappeared into the crowd.

Han then called Karrde to let him know they'd be back at the ship in a few minutes. Soon Leia would be home with her father.


	8. Home

Disclaimer: I'm not George, so not mine.

Han shook Karrde's hand. "I don't know how I can repay you for all your help. Sorry that we put you a little behind schedule."

"Don't worry about it, Solo. You just take care of that kid. Something tells me that our paths will cross again someday." Karrde gave a nod.

Han, Leia, and Chewie walked down the ship's loading ramp. They had finally made it back to Alderaan. The group exited the space port and got into a transport. "Where to?" Asked the transport driver.

"The royal palace!" Leia said excitably. She couldn't wait to see her daddy. She knew that it was going to be different from when she left. Her mother would no longer be there, Leia cast her eyes down and tried to hold back the tears. After the day in Han's cabin when they looked up the news on her father, she had tried not to think of her mother's death and how she couldn't be with her father at that time. Now that she was home the reality was beginning to set in. The speeder came to a stop in the area where they usually dropped off tourists. Han paid the man and the group stepped out of the speeder.

Leia ran in front of her companions to the gate. The guard at the gate looked at the three. "I'm sorry but there are no tours today."

Leia tugged on the uniform of the guard. "We're not here to take a tour; we're here to see my daddy." For the first time the guard took a good look at the little girl and his eyes widened.

"By all the stars of Alderaan! Princess Leia? Your Highness!" The guard bowed down to the little girl. "Please forgive me." The guard grabbed his commlink and contacted the guards in the palace to escort the princess to her father.

Never in his life had Han seen such a grand building. He doubted that he'd see anything that could measure up to it. He and Chewie followed behind the guards while Leia lead the way to her father's study. They passed through the gardens and over the reflecting pool. Soon they made their way through the massive hallway which at the end was the door to the study. When Leia saw her father's door she broke into a run, she didn't bother to knock on the door, she just went through the door.

Bail Organa's thought was interrupted by his door suddenly slamming open. "What is the mea---." Before he could finish his sentence, he could have sworn a ghost walked through the door. "Leia?" His hand went to his mouth. "My gods!" Leia ran to her father and wrapped her arms around his neck. Bail had a hard time holding back the tears. The guards ushered Han and Chewie into the study.

"My lord," Bail switched his attention to his guard, "this is the man and Wookiee that saw to it that the Princess was brought home safely."

Still holding on to his little girl, Bail made his way over to the Corellian and Wookiee. "How can I ever repay you? Young man I am forever in your debt. Leia is my life." He took their hands in his.

Bail offered for Han and Chewie to stay at the palace as long as he liked. He listened to the young man as he told of his past and how he had come in to the service of the Empire and his dreams of being a pilot. Bail smiled, he had the perfect plan for the Corellian. Knowing the Imperials, this young man had a price on his head for his acts. Bail would call in a favor from his friend Garm Bel Iblis, the Corellian senator owed him a few.

A few days later Han and Chewie were leaving for Corellia. As he was packing his things, Leia came into his room and bounced on his bed. "Hey, kid."

"I'm going to miss you."

"You know I think I'll miss you too." Han picked up his bag and Leia took him by the hand as they walked out into the hall. "You better keep that little nose of yours out of trouble." He knelt down to eye level with the girl. "I mean it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

As he walked down the path to take him off the place grounds, Leia ran after him. "Will I ever see you again?"

"Dunno, maybe one day." Han gave one last look at the little girl. Her hair was once again tied up into double buns, and she was once again wearing a white gown. He left the palace grounds and would be leaving for his home planet of Corellia. Bail had arranged for Han to train as a pilot in the Corellian Military. For his bravery during his rescue of the princess and Chewbacca he would be awarded the yellow second class Corellian bloodstripe, an award he'd wear proudly. He would also become one of the few to be awarded the prestigious red first class bloodstripe.


	9. Epilogue

Disclaimer: George's

I wrote this part in response to do they remember each other, so forgive me if it's a bit lame.

Epilogue

Han made his way to the lounge on his ship _The Millennium Falcon_. He had gotten more than he had bargained for when he picked up the kid and the old man. Now they were minus the old man and plus a short and bossy princess. It took Chewie to confirm that she was the same little girl that he had rescued all those years ago. What was she, eighteen/nineteen now? He ran his hand through his hair. Despite her disheveled look, she had grown up to be beautiful. He didn't remember all the events surrounding his rescue of her all those years ago, but he did remember the girl.

During this rescue, they had gotten off to a rocky start. He was pretty sure that she didn't remember him. He sat down next to her on the bench. He couldn't imagine what she was going through, she had lost her world, her family and who knows what the Imperials had done to her. He thought he'd try to lighten the mood when he spoke. "I thought I told you to keep your little nose out of trouble." Her frown told him that his suspicion was true, she didn't remember him. "I figured that you wouldn't remember me. You were only seven the last time I saw you."

She had a look on her face like she was searching her memory. "Han?" He gave her his trademark grin. "I thought I'd never see you again." She gave him a hug. "Well you do look different, all grown up."

"You grew up too; into a very beautiful young woman." Leia blushed.

Years later Han stood in the doorframe of his daughter's room watching the sleeping girl. While he loved all of his children equally, he shared a special bond with his little girl. He felt his wife's familiar arms wrap around his waist. She didn't need to ask what he was thinking about, she never needed to ask. Jaina looked like she had at that age, she knew her husband was thinking about the little girl she once was.


End file.
